Untidiness, also known as messiness or clutter, refers to living and working spaces that are unorganized and disorderly. An untidy environment often has belongings scattered about haphazardly, unmade beds, piles of paper and clutter on most surfaces. Those who struggle with tidiness may have difficulty keeping their homes neat and organized. But is untidiness simply a bad habit, or could it be a sign of an underlying mental health condition?
What causes people to be untidy?
There are several potential causes of chronic untidiness:
- Laziness – Some people are just habitually messy and disorganized. They don’t take the time and effort needed to keep spaces neat.
- Lack of organizational skills – Messy individuals may not know how to keep a home tidy. They may lack organizational systems and strategies.
- Time constraints – Busy schedules and hectic lifestyles can contribute to messiness, as people don’t make time for cleaning and organizing.
- Stress and depression – Mental health conditions like anxiety, depression and ADHD can worsen clutter and make it very difficult to get organized.
- Challenging life events – Big life changes like having kids, switching jobs or moving can result in temporary messiness.
- Hoarding disorder – A mental illness involving persistent difficulty discarding possessions due to a perceived need to save them.
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) – Trouble focusing and completing tasks can make organizing very difficult for those with ADHD.
So in some cases, chronic untidiness may stem from an underlying mental health condition like anxiety, depression or hoarding disorder. But for many people, it’s simply an ingrained habit or lifestyle issue.
Signs of problematic untidiness
Messiness exists on a spectrum. Simple disorganization is common and generally harmless. But extreme, persistent untidiness can be problematic. Consider if any of the following apply:
- The mess negatively impacts your work, relationships and mental health.
- You feel ashamed or embarrassed to have visitors over.
- Clutter makes it hard to move around your home safely.
- You have rodents, bugs or molds due to the mess.
- Your home is unsafe or unsanitary for you or your family.
- You have received warnings or threats of eviction due to clutter.
- Messiness makes it very difficult to find important objects.
- You have trouble parting with possessions due to perceived necessity.
- You feel distressed or overwhelmed by the clutter.
If you struggle with several of these issues, then your untidiness may be at a problematic level requiring professional help.
When does being messy become a mental illness?
There are a few key differences between regular untidiness and a clinical disorder:
Hoarding disorder
Hoarding disorder is a persistent difficulty discarding possessions due to a perceived need to save them. This results in clutter so severe it impairs normal use of living spaces. Other symptoms include:
- Strong urge to collect and save items most would consider unneeded.
- Feeling intense distress when attempting to discard items.
- Accumulation of items causes significant distress or impairment in work, social or home life.
- Clutter prevents normal use of living spaces.
Hoarding is considered a mental illness and usually requires psychotherapy to treat.
Depression clutter
Untidiness can also stem from depression. Symptoms include:
- Loss of motivation and energy make it hard to organize.
- Mess builds up during periods of low mood and self-care struggles.
- Clutter causes added stress and worsens depressive symptoms.
- Tidying seems overwhelming which fuels avoidance.
Depression clutter may improve with treatment of the underlying mood disorder.
ADHD disorganization
ADHD commonly leads to chronic disorganization including:
- Extreme difficulty completing tasks and staying focused while cleaning.
- Trouble maintaining organizational systems.
- Tendency to procrastinate tidying and delay chores.
- Short attention span leads to partially finished projects.
- Impulsivity results in cluttered spaces and items left out.
ADHD medication and behavioral strategies can help reduce these symptoms.
When to seek professional help
See a doctor or mental health professional if:
- You exhibit signs of hoarding disorder like severe clutter, inability to discard items and strong urges to collect things.
- Your messiness may be linked to an underlying issue like depression, anxiety, OCD or ADHD.
- Your chronic untidiness significantly harms your mental health, relationships or quality of life.
- Efforts to get organized consistently fail and the clutter keeps returning.
- You feel unable to control your disorganization.
A psychiatrist, therapist or other mental health provider can assess if your untidiness stems from an underlying mental disorder. From there, they can offer treatments like therapy and medication to address the root cause.
Tips for managing messy habits
If you don’t have a clinical condition, try these strategies for tidying up:
Declutter problem areas
Set a timer for 15 minutes. Hurriedly tidy as much as possible in that time. Repeat daily until the space is decluttered.
Establish organization systems
Label baskets, bins and folders. Assign everything a “home” to make tidying up easier.
One in, one out rule
Whenever you acquire something new, donate or trash something old. This prevents clutter from accumulating.
Designate tidying time
Pick a time, like Sunday mornings, to do a weekly tidy and organization session. Make tidying a routine habit.
Ask for help
Recruit family or friends to lend a hand with cleaning and organizing. Tackling clutter together makes it less overwhelming.
When to discard your possessions
It’s often hard to part with belongings. Consider tossing or donating items if they:
- Don’t fit your lifestyle or needs anymore
- Are worn out, broken or defective
- Are duplicates you don’t need
- Haven’t been used in over a year
- Are outdated and no longer useful
- Were impulse purchases you regret
- Cause negative memories or emotions
- Aren’t loved, valued or enjoyed
Letting go of excess and unused possessions can be very freeing. Avoid holding onto clutter just for the sake of having it.
Cleaning tips for messy people
Cleaning an extremely messy home can be overwhelming. Make it more manageable with these tips:
Break it down
Don’t try to tackle the whole house at once. Prioritize and start with more manageable spaces like a bedroom or office.
Set a timer
Work for short sprints like 20-30 minutes, then take a break. Time limits help maintain momentum.
Sort as you go
As you clean, sort items into “keep”, “trash” and “donate” piles to prevent clutter from reaccumulating.
Listen to music or podcasts
Make cleaning more enjoyable with some upbeat audio entertainment.
Enlist help
Have family and friends pitch in to lighten the workload and make it more social.
Offer rewards
Promise yourself a relaxing bath or fun activity once tidying goals are met.
Finding motivation to get organized
For messy people, finding the drive to tidy and organize can be a challenge. Consider these motivating benefits:
- Reduced stress – Clutter contributes to anxiety and overwhelm. An organized home promotes calm.
- Improved productivity – It’s easier to accomplish tasks when you can find what you need.
- Better mental health – A tidy space clears mental fog and boosts mood.
- Increased safety – Eliminating hazards like trip risks and electrical cord clutter improves home safety.
- More free time – You’ll spend less time searching for misplaced items in clutter.
- Enhanced focus – Disorderly environments are distracting. An organized home helps concentration.
- Better sleep habits – Neat bedrooms promote restful sleep.
- Healthier habits – Clean kitchens and organized food makes healthy eating easier.
Gaining these benefits can inspire messy folks to push past cleaning avoidance and create tidier living spaces.
How tidy should your house be?
There’s no universal standard for an acceptably tidy home. Aim for a level of cleanliness and organization that:
- Allows you to easily find belongings and move around safely
- Makes spaces functional for their intended uses
- Keeps surfaces and floors clear enough for basic cleaning
- Doesn’t trigger stress, anxiety or overwhelm in you or others in your home
- Makes you feel relaxed and provides a restful place for quality time with loved ones
- Gives a generally neat and orderly appearance if guests stop by
Perfection isn’t necessary. Do the minimum needed to feel comfortable and avoid major clutter issues.
Am I messy or is my house clean enough?
Assess whether your home’s tidiness level is sufficient by asking:
- Can I easily walk through rooms and open/close doors and drawers?
- Are surfaces like tables, desks and countertops relatively clear?
- Does clutter distract or frustrate me throughout the day?
- Do I feel stressed or avoid having guests over due to mess?
- Does clutter make it hard for me to start or complete tasks?
- Do piles of belongings prevent me from reaching or using furnishings?
- Is my bedroom peaceful and conducive to quality sleep?
- Can I quickly find everyday items like keys, glasses and remote controls?
- Are appliances, electronics, sinks and toilets accessible for proper cleaning?
If the answer to most questions is yes, your home may be messy enough to hamper your comfort, productivity and mental well-being. If you answered no to most, your tidiness level is likely sufficient.
Messy house quotes
Here are some insightful quotes about the benefits of tidiness:
- “Outer order contributes to inner calm.” – Gretchen Rubin
- “Letting go helps us live in the present moment.” – Peter Walsh
- “The chaos we’re living with is choking the life out of us.” – Peter Walsh
- “The creation of space brings clarity.” – Marie Kondo
- “Outer order leads to inner calm.” – Marie Kondo
- “Simplicity brings joy and peace.” – Marie Kondo
- “Tidy house, tidy mind.” – Anonymous
- “You will never change your life until you change something you do daily.” – Mike Murdock
- “The time is now for letting go and creating space.” – Jenna Meredith
- “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” – Leonardo da Vinci
Let these quotes inspire you to take small steps daily to create tidier, simpler and more peaceful living spaces. Gradually reducing clutter can pay huge dividends for your productivity, relationships and inner calm.
Conclusion
Overall, being a messy person doesn’t necessarily constitute a mental illness. Simple disorganization and clutter are common. But in severe cases involving the inability to discard items, hoarding compulsions and very problematic clutter, professional treatment may be needed for underlying conditions like hoarding disorder, OCD, depression and ADHD. For the majority of chronically messy individuals though, developing tidier habits, lifestyle changes and decluttering strategies can help create cleaner living spaces without the need for therapy or medication. Stay motivated by focusing on the mental health benefits tidier homes provide.